When we put the superlift on last summer (1,500 miles ago), the front rotors and pads were replaced. The Pedal pressure was somewhat better, but could still be improved. Since then, it has gotten worse from normal wear and tear. This last saturday i replaced everything in my rear drums except the wheel cylinders because they were in working condition. I was hoping this would improve my pedal pressure, but it didnt do anything. I pretty much have to put the brake pedal down 50% of the way for the brakes to even start to grab, and 75% of the way to come to a complete stop. I realize with 35" tires braking is going to be worse, but it should not have much of a factor with the pedal pressure itself.

I have heard that maintenence shops such as tuffy, muffler man, etc have a machine that they can bleed the brakes with. I am thinking about trying it as i have never bled them.

Suggestions besides bleeding them?

 

what about performance front pads and slotted rotors to disapate some of the heat.......and converting the rear to disc brakes....

 

Find an open parking lot or deserted backroad. Put the truck in reverse and give it a quick burst of reverse power. Then brake hard. This is how the rear drum slack adjusters get adjusted. It helped mine after I did the front brakes.

 

Mark bleeding brakes is easy man if you still havent done it in a few weeks i will just take a drive up man. and on the rear wheel cylinders how did you guys say they where fine, just checking you pulled the rubber boots back and check to make sure they werent wet or any rust or debre in them? just checking

 

Biggest problem I have is rear brake adjustment. How are you adjusting them after you replace them or after time passes?

You can't rely on them to automatically adjust unless you do the back up and slam-on-the-brakes thing a bunch every so often.

When my rears are adjusted, my pedal travel is good.

I also have 35's.

 

slotted rotors, performance pads, rear disks

 

might want to have a look at the master cylinder
vacuum lines??? idk i didnt mention that before but just thought of it.


this might help but wont fix the issue. its pedal pressure not stopping power.

 

cant the master cylinder start to malfunction causing less brake pressure?

 

When the rear brakes were done, i checked the wheel cylinders. I pushed the right 'post' in and the left post moved out as i pushed the right in. Dad said if they were froze, they wouldnt move at all.

I did adjust the starwheel accordingly to the rear drum, its about as tight as i want to go.

 

Well, try backing up kind of quick and slamming the brakes on hard a few times and see if your pedal doesn't firm up. It's really tricky to adjust them with the star wheels -- I don't ever get it right on reassembly and always have to cycle the auto adjusters.

 

I tried that last night after everything was back together John, and no go, still just as crappy as before lol.

 

Well, I'm out of ideas, lol -- that's what it's always been with mine. Must be one of the other suggestions, I guess.

 

whoops

 

i still vote new calipers and wheel cylinders, but idk how much you want to spend. maybe even stainless steel brake lines front and rear??

so did you or didnt you bleed the brakes already?

 

i know my dad had a similar issue with his f150, but idk how similar the systems are. 1998 F150 and 2001 Ranger

 

you could also have a spring that came loose in the rear drums.....it would allow there to be no resistance on the (i have no clue what to call it...the peice that pushes the brakes against the drum)............drum brakes are pretty bad about poping springs off...

before i had my gears done, i had almost the same problem....i thought it was a brake issue with the big tires....my soon to be uncle in law who did my gears said i had a spring loose in one of my drums....when he put it all back together he fixed the spring and the brakes worked great from there on out....

 

Defenitly not alot since i just spend 100 for the stupid drums. And no they have not been bled.


Ah i doubt its a spring becuase the pedal pressure is the same as it was before i changed out everything in the rear. Those new spring sets are pretty tough, i cant see one of them coming 'loose'.

 

if you haven't bled them since the new brakes, then that very well could be the problem.....prolly have a little air in the lines...

 

might want to try and bleed them if you can get the bleeders loose. seems like you said that was an issue?

if it is then leave them alone.

 

I'd definitely say bleed the brakes before you go spending alot of money on any other parts.

 

Yeah i'll plan on bleeding them next then. My buddies uncle owns a garage with a vaccum bleeder machine and he might be able to hook me up, if not im going to have to do it on my own